Kenya Kwanza leaders defend G-to-G fuel deal, accuse opposition of incitement

While accusing the opposition of a scheme to discredit the government, the leaders launched attacks against Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and former President Uhuru Kenyatta for allegedly undermining President William Ruto's Ruto administration. 

Speaking in Butere during an empowerment program, President Ruto's aide Farouk Kibet said that MP Nyoro is receiving ill advise from Mr Kenyatta and cannot claim a moral high ground now that he is in the opposition.

"Huyu mtu anaitwa Nyoro aliambiwa na Uhuru aseme mambo ya uongo, ni baada ya kukutana na sponsor, yeye alikuwa chairman wa budget alikuwa mwizi mkubwa wa mafuta. Anaongea ni kama haelewi, mwizi mkubwa wa mafuta ni Nyoro," he said.

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch echoed Farouk's sentiments, adding that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was also in the alleged deal to compromise the G-to-G deal.

"His (Gachagua) Senators have gone to lie to President Museveni. The two people responsible for theft of oil in this government is Ndindi Nyoro and Rigathi Gachagua," Senator Oketch claimed.

President Museveni revealed that a Kenyan Senator alerted him that Uganda was procuring petroleum products at exorbitant rates through middlemen in Kenya, forcing him to end the arrangement.

Speaking in a separate meeting, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa said that the deal should not be politicised and the deal is set to benefit the nation on securing refined petroleum products.

"We know the government has a deliberate plan of G to G ,let us not politicise it, athari za mafuta kama mwenyekiti wa kamati za fedha najua," he said as echoed by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi 

This comes amid a fresh controversy on the deal after President Museveni revealed that a Kenyan Senator alerted him that Uganda was procuring petroleum products at exorbitant rates through middlemen in Kenya, forcing him to end the arrangement.

Speaking on September 17, President Museveni said he was unaware that Uganda was sourcing petroleum through Kenyan intermediaries until the Senator raised the issue.

“The Republic of Uganda was buying petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya. Can you imagine that? And the person who woke me up first was a senator from Kenya,” Museveni said.

He said that Uganda was paying a premium of $118 per metric tonne for diesel under the previous arrangement, compared with $83 under its current arrangement with Vitol and Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC).

The government has clarified the allegations, saying it was inked to stop a severe US dollar shortage in 2022 that threatened to crash the economy and drain the country's foreign exchange reserves and not to orchestrate a fraudulent scheme.